Boiler expert reveals how £10 radiator gadget could help cut our energy bills this winter 

A BOILER expert has shared how a £10 gadget could help cut energy bills this winter.

As temperatures drop, many households are worried about the costly process of turning on their radiators to stay warm.

Energy bills are forecast to stay high this winter, with experts predicting that Ofgem’s price cap announcement tomorrow will see annual bills increase by 1% to £1,736

But there is a little-known device which could help curb costs.

The Sun spoke to Andy Kerr, founder of boiler installation company BOXT, who explained how using thermostatic radiator valves (TRV) can help cut costs.

Andy explained that these devices help households control the temperature of each room in a house.

He said: “Thermostatic radiator valves automatically reduce the flow of hot water to the radiator when the room is at its ideal temperature.

“[This] allows for more control over your energy consumption and preventing overheating.”

By doing this households could cut their energy bills by around £75 a year, according to The Energy Saving Trust.

Andy recommends using the thermostat to control the heat in your main living space and using thermostatic radiator valves to “lower the heating in rooms you don’t use as often”.

To do this you will have to manually go into each room in your house and adjust the heat settings on your thermostatic valve.

Settings on the TRV roughly correspond to the room temperatures below:

• 0 = 0°C (off)
• ✱ = 7°C (usually shown as a snowflake or full stop symbol)
• 1 = 10°C
• 2 = 15°C
• 3 = 20°C
• 4 = 25°C
• 5 = 30°C

These devices cost as little as £9.99 from retailers such as Screwfix, but prices can reach up to £50 if you opt for a smart TRV.

These devices allow customers to control how much heat is being pumped through the radiator via their smartphone.

Both of these devices should be suitable for most types of radiators but if you are confused it is always worth asking in-store or contacting an engineer.

How else can I save on energy bills?

If you are keen to cut costs this winter there are a number of other hacks you can use.

For example, you can put radiator reflector foil behind your radiator to help bounce heat back into the room.

The Sun spotted that Screwfix is selling four meters of the foil for £7.51.

An electric fan heater can be a cost-effective way to keep warm as the nights get colder.

These are portable devices as well, so you could travel from room to room with this heater.

DIY store B&Q is selling a portable heater currently for £15.99.